LAUSR

Abstract This work investigates the effect of liquid carburizing at 780°C on the structure, chemical and phase composition, microhardness, and surface roughness of corrosion-resistant austenitic chromium-nickel steel. The depth of the carburized layer has been determined to be about 2 mm. The steel structure at a distance of 0.15 mm from the surface consists of carbon-saturated austenite γ C , α' martensite, and fine Cr 23 C 6 chromium carbides located along austenitic grain boundaries. No carbides are observed in the grain body. There are austenite γ C and chromium Cr 23 C 6 carbides in the structure at a depth from 0.15 to 2 mm. The number and the size of carbides decrease with distance from the steel surface. Carburizing increased the microhardness of the steel surface by a factor of four (from 200 to 800 HV0.025) and the roughness parameter Ra to 1.35 μm.